Chain Reaction
by Nyneve
Summary: Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Love comes from rivalry, and hatred is spawned from love. From death, comes life. What goes around comes around. Chains bind Rei and Jadeite.


I own nothing

**Book I:**

Learn to Live Together

_"In the desert of my dreams I saw you there  
__And I'm walking towards the water steaming body cold and bare  
__But your words cut loose the fire  
__And you left my soul to bleed  
__And the pain that's in your truth's deceiving me has got me scared_

_Oh Why?  
__Oh Why?_

_Through your eyes the strains of battle like a brooding storm  
__You're up and down these pristine velvet walls like focus never forms  
__My walls are getting wider  
__And my eyes are drawn astray  
__I see you now a vague deception of a dying day_

_Oh Why?  
__Oh Why?_

_I fall into the water and once more I turn to you  
__And the crowds were standing staring faceless cutting off my view to you  
__They start to limply flail their bodies in a twisted mime  
__And I'm lost inside this tangled web in which I'm lain entwined_

_You're gone_

_And I'm lost inside this tangled web in which I'm lain entwined_

_Oh Why?  
__Oh Why?"_

-Sarah McLachlan, "Vox"

> > > > >

He had not understood the reason the General came.

He was eleven years old, average height and a slight but solid build. His hair was bleached blond from all the time he spent outside, roaming the hills and valleys of the Alps, and his eyes were soft, sky blue. He had never known his parents; his Gramma and Grampa told him they had both died when the fevers spread through the country. The fevers had also taken the lives of his older brother and two older sisters, until all he had left was his mother's parents and his seventeen-year-old sister, Niobi. But Niobi had run off with a shepherd when he was nine, and he hadn't seen her since. However, this didn't bother him too much, since Niobi had never spared a kind word or face to him.

And he was happy living with his grandparents. They raised a few goats and his Gramma kept a garden behind their lofted cottage. His Grampa had arthritis, so it was his duty to gather the herbs used to make the tea that would relieve the pain. His only friend was a boy that lived on the farm at the bottom of the mountain whom he visited about once a month to sell the goats' milk, cheese, and the blankets made of their hair that his Gramma made.

So it was a mystery that the General had even known his name when he rode up the side of the mountain on his great gray horse, accompanied by nearly a half-dozen other soldiers, also mounted.

His Gramma had nearly had a heart attack when she rushed inside to tell her husband the news. Helping him to his feet, they went back to the door where their grandson stood gawking up at the General, a tall man with broad shoulders and a thick black beard streaked with gray. The general raised an eyebrow as he looked down at him.

"Jadeite."

> > > > >

Her beginning was very different. She was born in the spring, just as the sakura blossoms were blooming. Her mother had been renowned for her beauty, and that beauty had manifested itself in her only child. Thick black hair, the color of a raven's wing, mysterious black amethyst eyes, and pale, pale ivory skin. It had come to a shock to her family that betrothal offers were made as early as her fourth year. Although they had looked into several of them, nothing ever became final. Thus, her childhood was rather informal as far as court life could be concerned.

She had started attending school when she was three, and could read and write adequately by the time she was five. Arithmetic and science took more time, but she had shown an intense interest in history ever since she came across a book recording her family's history. As for etiquette and protocol, she was to be trained at the Imperial Palace on the Moon. Because, although powerful, the Martian Royal Family was simply far too secluded for her to get a full grasp on court society. But the most important lessons were unique to her family alone: lessons in the language of fire.

The talent to see the future was especially strong in the women of the Martian line, and she was no excuse. Her skills at reading what she saw in the Sacred Flames surpassed those of her mother's and grandmother's, though she rarely chose to share what she saw. Although she had a hot temper and was usually outspoken, when her quiet moods struck her, there was no breaking down her walls. Luckily, these moods were rare, and few worried about them.

She was eight when she left her home on Mars to go to the Moon. She knew she would miss her family, but she was excited as well. She was acquainted with the other girls who would be living on the moon, and looked forward to the excitement of court life (her mother had often whispered her complaints about it to her father, how court was no means for a girl of eight nor a woman of eighty). And there was something the Sacred Flames had told her.

Rei's life would change. Forever.

> > > > >

Beryl had chosen him, simple as that. Beryl was a mage, the closest advisor to Earth's Royal Family. She was blessed with the gifts of foresight and enchantment, and it was she that had hand chosen the four guards that were to become the prince's generals. Jadeite was the fourth.

He did not want to go. He worried about his grandparents, and how they would fare without him to look after the goats, and to fetch his Grampa's herbs, and to bring the milk and cheese and blankets down to the farm at the bottom of the mountain. The General told him that they would be given a salary, a percentage of his own. Money that could be used to buy them their own farm, their own _manor,_ for that matter.

But, his Grampa pointed out, it would not buy them back their grandson.

And yet, what could he do? If it came down to it, could two old people and a boy _really_ fight off the General and six armed mounted soldiers? Of course not. And that is why Jadeite agreed to go with them, and begged for one final night with his family. They agreed, and went off to make camp a mile down the mountain, where it was warmer.

That last night was spent hugging his Gramma and telling her not to cry, and listening to the encouraging words of his Grampa, who'd been a soldier himself when he was young. Really, Jadeite was blessed, he said. Imagine, a general! To the Prince! It was an honor.

But in their hearts, none of them wanted honor. They wanted to continue living as they had lived, in peace, with little to no complications. He knew it was not to be, but Jadeite promised them that he _would_ come back to visit them as often as he could. He would make them proud.

The next morning, a soldier hoisted the boy up behind him on his horse, and they rode north. When they left the mountains, they came to woods. When they left the woods, they came to meadows. And when they left the meadows, they came to the sea. Jadeite looked back south and tried to see the stubby line of the mountains in the distance, but they were gone. And eventually, so was the land, as they sailed even farther north, to the top of the world.

It was cold. That was the first thing he noticed when the sun rose a week after he had left. The second thing he noticed was the barrenness of it all, the desolation. Was this _really_ where the Royal Family of Earth was based? He had heard the stories that it was so. The King of Earth lived here at the North Pole, along with his son and advisor (the Queen had sadly died giving birth to the child). The Prince's name was Endymion, and he was a year older than Jadeite.

His first sight of the young monarch was in the Great Hall of the Royal Palace when he was with his father and the Royal Advisor, the Mage Beryl. The king, a brawny man with a gray beard and cheerful blue eyes had welcomed him warmly and introduced him to Beryl, a strikingly beautiful woman with long auburn hair and ruby red eyes. She could not have been older than twenty, though rumor had it that she was actually of elven blood, thus giving her the beautiful face, pointed ears, and eternal life of the vanished race. And yet, there was something cold about her. Something cruel and vicious and dark hidden beneath that serene surface.

Endymion himself was a clear-eyed boy with a mischievous grin and black hair that fell in his face. After the formal introductions were made, the prince led Jadeite to the private barracks beneath his own apartments. As they walked, they spoke of Jadeite's life thus far (the same story I now tell you). It turned out that the prince was a kind, curious young man quick to make a witty observation as well as a relevant point. Jadeite couldn't help but like him.

When they reached the barracks, he met the three additional young men who would eventually serve as Endymion's generals. The first was a tall boy around fourteen years old named Kunzite. He was the son of a noble family and had known Endymion his entire life. Indeed, they were best friends, even if they were complete opposites. Kunzite was taller, with long white hair and icy blue eyes. He was quiet and reserved, and somewhat bookish but also talented in combat. Although he was still young, none could argue about Kunzite's skill with a sword. Not that anyone would _want_ to. The only other interesting thing about the first general was that he was already formally engaged. Upon his twentieth birthday, he would marry the Princess of Venus, Minako, renowned for her beauty and good humor, as well as her own skill in battle.

The second general came from a background almost as obscure as Jadeite's. Nephrite's family had been a band of gypsies living just west of the Urals. It was his tragedy that all would be slaughtered by the viscount that ruled the area. In fact, he too would have been dead if the Mage Beryl had not been visiting the viscount at the time and recognized the young prisoner before it was too late. Because she had saved his life, Nephrite was more loyal to Beryl than anyone, except the prince of course. Like Kunzite, he was quiet, but not completely antisocial. However, his gypsy mannerisms made him strange. Frequently he could be seen talking to himself alone while he practiced fighting, and at night it was not uncommon to find him outside in the bitter cold looking up at the stars. But for all it was worth, Nephrite was a polite, calm boy with a smooth rationality and subtle creativity.

To his surprise, Jadeite was not the youngest one of them to be chosen as a general. Zoicite was the only child of a well-to-do merchant who visited the Royal Palace twice a year. Two months ago, the most recent of these visits, Beryl had seen him and marked him, and his father, proud beyond belief at his son's destiny, had left him behind for training. A year younger than Jadeite, Zoicite still had the pretty face of a child, with emerald green eyes and long blond hair tied back into a ponytail. He was clever and mischievous, much to Endymion's delight, and also a very talented musician. Although he was not much for the sword, he was good with a staff and his own wits, often causing his opponents to slip up and be defeated.

Within the next few years, the five young men would grow close. Their backgrounds ranged from poor to princely, their families large and nonexistent, their personalities cold and welcoming. And yet, they were brothers. Comrades. Sworn to protect their prince and each other no matter what the cost.

Years passed…

> > > > >

Five young men lived in the Royal Palace on Earth. Likewise, five young women lived in the Imperial Palace on the Moon. The women included Rei, Princess of Mars, Minako, Princess of Venus, Makoto, Princess of Jupiter, Ami, Princess of Mercury, and Serenity, Princess of the Moon and Heir to the Silver Millennium. They too were all completely different, yet had been friends from early ages; ever since they had gone to the Palace to receive their education at age nine.

Minako, now sixteen, had been the first. She was Serenity's cousin, and the leader of her Senshi (there was also a rumor that was the Goddess Aphrodite's mortal incarnate, but of course none could prove this). Although she could be a giggling, carefree girl one minute, the next she could be a strong, dangerous woman armed with a Holy Sword and a tongue like a dagger. Born with the gifts of Light, she took her duty as the Princess's main bodyguard seriously, but also had her frivolous side that allowed her to feed her mild vanity as she saw fit. And yet, she could afford to be vain. Not only was she powerful and beautiful, with gold hair and ocean blue eyes, she was also engaged to the prince of Earth's head general, Kunzite. However, she cared little for that knowledge, for her heart belonged to another, though she never admitted whom.

Makoto was fourteen, the same age as Rei, though far more easy-going and laid back than any of her fellow Senshi. But she too was a strong warrior, gifted with Thunder and a fighting ability most men admired. Surprisingly, she also possessed an ethereal grace that only demonstrated itself as she danced or skated. She was a dreamer as well, never wont to tell her friends about her unfulfilled imaginings of love and romance, of her "knight in shining armor" she was yet to meet. Although it was amusing at first, they soon learned to avoid her when her ivy green eyes took on that faraway look for fear they would be trapped within another one of her stories.

The Princess of Mercury, Ami, was young and frail, with pale skin and blue eyes and hair. She was gifted with Ice, but it was a gift rarely used. Ami was a peaceful girl who chose to find the enemy's weakness and point it out to those better suited to defeating them. None resented her for it. Although she was only thirteen, she was already regarded as one of the wisest people in the Silver Millennium, even for one from Mercury. She did not share her friends' dreams of romance, but was far more practical and levelheaded, intending on marrying a scholar or soldier and being a good mother to her children.

If I were to now speak of Serenity, Princess of the Moon and Heir to the Silver Millennium, no doubt I would meet with a barrage of argument. If I were to describe her as an innocent young girl with the insight of an adult, many would say I speak too much of her, and lack to mention her immaturity, her selfishness, and her inability to protect herself. And if I were to describe her as a silly child in a young woman's body, many would point out her love for all things, her invincible faith in her friends, and her willingness to sacrifice herself when it was inevitable. Throughout the years, it is as though the real Serenity has faded into myth. Thus, I shall only say this about her. At this point in the story, she is eleven years old, not quite a woman, not quite a child, still learning how to be a princess. Her hair is blond and worn in the style of Lunar royal women; two buns with tails streaming down. Her eyes are blue, like her cousin Minako's. As my story goes on, I will leave you to decide what kind of a person she truly was, what kind of a person she grew to be. That is all I will say on that matter.

It had been five years since Rei left her home on Mars. She had grown into a hauntingly lovely young woman with ivory skin, raven black hair, and deep amethyst eyes with shadowy flames lurking within them. Her gift of Fire had evolved into a strong and deadly force to be reckoned with, and her battle skills had earned her the rank of lieutenant, making Minako her only authority apart from the Queen herself. The mysterious aura about her had attracted several marriage offers throughout the years, and yet, either she or her family had declined them all. It was not that she was ruled by dreams of love; but she knew what sort of commodity she was in men's eyes, and she'd be damned if she sold herself for any less than she was worth.

This is where my story truly begins. If one believes in such a thing as "Fate" or "Destiny", it could be said that they were bound together by such things. Or else, perhaps it was as a girl later said: they were kindred spirits. Whatever the reason, I will tell you the story now and, like with Princess Serenity, leave you to interpret it yourself.

> > > > >

"Jade! Hey, Jade! Wait up, man!"

Jadeite turned sharply to see Zoicite running up beside him. The young man had a rucksack with the last of the rations slung across his back, and the wind was currently trying to free his ponytail trapped beneath it.

Jadeite smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "What do you know? You didn't get eaten by a polar bear after all. I guess I owe Neph three gold coins."

Zoicite pretended to be hurt. "Look, is it my fault the damned seals kept breaking through the ice? I nearly fell through! Four times!"

"You're just lucky this is our last day out here, Zoicite. I doubt you would've lasted another one," Kunzite remarked, glancing back at them.

"Aw lay off him, Kunzite!" Endymion grinned. However, his smile faded slightly. "After all, once we get back, we've only got a few more days together, right?"

"Yes. Pretty soon we'll be headed off to the Moon for the Yuletide festival," Nephrite murmured. "And then…"

"Out into the middle of nowhere," Zoicite sighed.

"Make that _Mount_ middle-of-nowhere," Jadeite added.

The men laughed. Five years had passed since the group had completed itself in the Alpine goat-boy-turned-general. Within the next year, Kunzite would marry Minako and bring her to his mountain fortress located in the Urals. Similar fortresses had been built for the other Generals as well. Zoicite would live in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa, Jadeite in the Himalayas, and Nephrite in the Andes. They would return to a semi-permanent residence at the Royal Palace when Endymion would be coronated in three years.

Also bringing up anxiety for all of them was the growing pressure to marry and make sure their positions were secured by their heirs. Although Kunzite had no need to worry, tensions had been growing. There was no public lack of faith in the young men, but many wondered what would happen if they were to be murdered while stationed in their fortresses? Who then would serve as the Prince's generals? Indeed, with the growing illness of the King, many wanted to put Endymion on the throne as soon as possible. But his father had left strict instructions that if he were to die, Beryl was to rule until Endymion came of age, so there was nothing that could be done.

The group reached the Palace shortly before nightfall. Beryl was overjoyed to see them all, Endymion especially. It was clear she loved the young man very much, and he felt the same. However, it was two different kinds of love, one vastly inappropriate considering the positions involved. Despite it all, Beryl hid her desires well and they celebrated the evening with a banquet, Earth's pre-Yuletide festival. All five men were up late into the night dancing and drinking, and when they finally did turn in the sun was just starting to peek over the Eastern horizon.

> > > > >

"Well, I personally think Lord Orion would be a good match for you, Mako," Minako commented as she sat behind her friend braiding her hair. The young women of the court were enjoying the last of their free time before Yuletide sitting in the garden and chatting quietly amongst themselves. Little lights glittered from the depths of the willow trees surrounding their clearing and the sound of water from the nearby stream set the background music for their deeply philosophical conversation.

"Lord Orion?" Ami frowned. "Minako…he _does _have a reputation…"

"Reputation of what?" Mako blinked, turning to look at her friend suspiciously. But the older girl grabbed the sides of her head and turned it back forward, then resumed her work.

"Well, he _does_ have a bit of a wandering eye, but have you seen his eyes? Like a pair of big brown marbles!" she sighed. "And he's rich too."

"You're shallow, Minako," Rei commented, glancing over the top of Serenity's head as she brushed the princesses long tresses.

"I am not!" she cried indignantly. "And besides, you should feel _lucky_ you can make a choice as to whom you're going to marry."

"Actually, it's up to our parents too, Minako. You just happened to be the first betrothed, that's all," Ami pointed out.

"Yeah, and General Kunzite isn't _that_ bad," Makoto added. "He's got nice eyes too. Or don't you like blue?"

"Shut up."

The other girls laughed as their leader gave them a hard look, but she too eventually broke down into giggles. However, when the laughter died down Serenity looked at her friends sadly.

"But…I don't want you to go away Minako. Or any of you," she said.

Rei sighed. "Serenity, we'll still be here a lot of the time. And in a couple of years you'll be living with one of us all the time, at least until you get married."

"Yeah!" Minako smiled. "Don't worry Serenity. After Kunzite and I get married, you can come stay with me. Otherwise I'll be bored as hell."

"Minako!" Ami gasped in shock at the curse, causing the other girls to giggle again.

At that point, a man and a woman, walking arm in arm, wandered into the clearing. The woman was tall and beautiful, with curly black hair and red-orange eyes, clad in a long gold dress trimmed in black. The man, with his straight white hair and blue eyes, appeared her exact opposite, dressed in a silver tunic and trousers. Both had the birthmark of the moon on their foreheads, just like Serenity.

"So this is where you've been hiding," the man smiled, putting a hand on Minako's head.

She feigned irritation as she looked straight up into his face. "How many times do I have to tell you Artemis? Don't spy on us!"

"Wha?" he blinked in surprise, then pointed at the woman. "Luna made me!"

She shot him a look as the younger women gasped in mock disapproval. Luna then turned to Serenity.

"Princess, your Lady Mother would like to meet with you," she said. "I will escort you back to the palace."

Serenity sighed and stood, allowing Rei to finish adjusting her hair back into its normal style. "See you later everyone," she said mournfully before disappearing behind the sparkling trees.

Artemis looked at the remaining princesses. "You four should head back to the palace too. The Court of Earth will be arriving in a few hours. And Minako…" he shot a warning look at her. "You are not to touch Kunzite's wine goblet for _any_ reason, do you understand?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh come on Artemis. I wasn't trying to kill him or anything. Just knock him out and get him sent back to Earth so—"

"Minako, seriously, don't," Rei warned. "You're supposed to be our leader, right? So don't go starting a war between the Earth and the Silver Millennium! Heaven knows we're going to be busy enough looking after the princess!"

The blond girl pouted, then sighed and stood up. "Very well. I swear I won't poison Kunzite through any method. Happy?"

"Hide her sword," Artemis whispered to Makoto, who burst into hysterical laughter.

"Makoto! Hey, I heard that! You traitorous little…" she lunged towards her, but the tall girl was used to running through the forests and dashed away, leaving Minako's furious screams and her friends' amused laughs in her wake.

> > > > >

"Well, we're almost there," Endymion commented as he stared out from beneath the spaceship's crystal dome at the ethereal beauty of the moon.

"Finally! Man, I swear that ride gets longer every time!" Zoicite complained, pressing his face against the dome. "Looks nice though. Love what the Queen's done with her landscaping. Hey Kunz! Isn't that the fountain you fell in when Minako's poison kicked in?"

"Shut up," the eldest general muttered.

"You know, you can't really blame the princess for wanting to kill you, Kunzite," Jadeite pointed out. "You're not exactly the most charismatic man one could meet, and you're just damn scary when you're angry, plus you need a haircut. Then, I've been telling Zoi and Neph that for years, but do any of you ever listen? Of course not. Our little Princeling here is the only one, besides myself, that is, who has enough sense to cut his hair at a normal length."

Endymion smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment, Jade. From one dashing young rogue to another."

"Anytime, my liege."

"Oh come on," Zoicite said. "My hair's not _that _long. And I—"

"Zoicite…" Nephrite tried to cut in, but the youngest general just kept talking.

"My mother loved my hair. She said it—"

"Zoi…"

"Now, Jade, you _do _have a reasonable argument when it comes to Neph's choices in style, but—"

"ZOICITE!"

The ship thudded to a stop. The prince and his three senior generals had already seated themselves and braced themselves for the landing, but Zoicite, who had been pacing during his rant, had collapsed into a bruised heap on the deck's floor.

"Idiot," Kunzite muttered, but helping his comrade up. "Are you all right?"

Still reeling from the impact, Zoicite got to his feet. "Uh…yeah…yeah, I'm fine. And you are…?"

"Kunzite."

"Kunzite…Kunzite…" Zoicite pondered, then recognition dawned on his face. "Ah yes! Kunzite! The famous Earth General who can face down any man on any battlefield but falls helpless before his future wife when she's armed with—"

The white haired man rolled his eyes. "He's fine."

"Is something going on up here?" the smooth voice of Beryl asked. "Prince Endymion?"

"General Zoicite just fell, my Lady. Nothing to worry about," Endymion replied cheerily.

Beryl smiled smoothly at him. "Ah, I see. You're all right I hope, Zoicite?"

"Just fine, M'lady," he replied, face completely serious.

"Good. Ah, Your Majesty," she turned towards the staircase as the ruler of Earth came on deck. Immediately the four generals assumed identical rigid military salutes, while Endymion made a graceful bow and Beryl a ladylike curtsy.

"There was a crash up here before. Is everyone all right? Endymion?" the old man looked at his son.

"Zoicite fell, Father. But he's quite all right now," he answered shortly, shooting a pointed look at the general, whose face was completely straight but whose eyes were laughing.

"Oh. Hm…well, do be more careful, General," he said offhandedly. With everyone on deck, the dome retracted and a staircase leading down to the ground folded out of the ship's side. They disembarked one by one, first the generals, then Beryl, then Endymion, with the King bringing up the rear.

In the middle of the long open roadway leading to the Imperial Palace stood Queen Selenity, a handsome woman of indeterminable age, with long silvery hair and gentle blue eyes. Her long dress was white and simple, but clung seductively to her curves. She smiled and stepped forwards to greet them.

"Welcome, My Lords and Lady, to the Moon. It is good to see you all again," she smiled.

"It is good to see you as well again, Queen Serenity," the King replied, taking her hand and kissing it courteously. Jadeite wasn't sure, but he _thought_ he could see Beryl's eyes grow dark with an angry, smoky shadow. "Tell me, where is your daughter?"

"Here, Your Majesty," a soft voice answered. The petite figure of Princess Serenity stood several feet behind her mother down the road, her guardians in tow. The girl stepped forward and curtsied to him.

He smiled. "You've grown, Serenity."

She blushed and took a step back, then blinked in surprise. "Oh! Um…excuse me. I've forgotten to present my court. Princess Minako, Princess Rei, Princess Makoto, and Princess Ami."

The four young ladies curtsied simultaneously (which caused Zoicite to later jokingly ask if perhaps they had practiced the motion during their military practice), then moved forward so that two flanked the heir on either side. Minako smiled mischievously at Kunzite, who made eye contact, but no other expression. Makoto stifled a giggle.

The group walked the short distance back to the palace, where they were each greeted by an individual butler or maidservant, and led off to their own chambers to prepare for dinner. When they did see each other again, it was in the grand dining hall that arcaded onto the huge veranda of the palace. Much small talk was made, and no wine was poisoned, much to Makoto's disappointment and Artemis's relief.

Afterwards the tables were cleared away and a small group of musicians from the royal court of Neptune began to play the soft lilting melodies that the artful planet was famous for. The King and Queen danced, and Endymion, following his father's lead, asked the bewildered Serenity to join him as well. Shortly after, Minako sauntered over and requested (rather strongly) that Kunzite dance with her. Zoicite, not one for dancing, amused himself chatting animatedly to the quiet, but politely intrigued Princess Ami. Jadeite, after dancing with a few lesser ladies of the court, was beginning to wonder what had become of Nephrite when he spied him with his arms around the tall, wildly beautiful Princess Makoto, who was a far better dancer than her stature would let on.

He received a cup of wine from a serving girl, then wandered out onto the quieter veranda. Taking a sip, he stared up at the sky, and was shocked to see his own planet Earth hovering what seemed so close above him. Jadeite shook his head. Of course Earth was in the sky. This was the moon; where else would it be?

Closing his eyes, he allowed the peace of the moment to wash over him. He didn't hate balls and banquets. For the past couple of years he'd really learned to enjoy them, between the food and the interesting court gossip and the flirting with the beautiful court women. But at times like this, when he had eaten and listened and kissed the girls worth kissing, this was when he felt…serene. Like he had felt at home in the Alps, with his grandparents and the goats and the endless fields of wildflowers.

But the peace was quickly interrupted with the sound of a slap.

"I would have you leave me now, you misbegotten son of a whore!" an angry female voice snapped.

Jadeite opened his eyes and looked farther off to his right down the veranda. One of Serenity's guardians (Rei? He knew she was the Princess of Mars) was staring angrily at a bewildered young knight who looked Venusian but then again may have been Lunarian, they looked so much alike. He held a hand to his cheek, shook his head, then turned and walked away, muttering the word "bitch" under his breath repeatedly.

Rei turned away. That man (no, _boy_), Bassanius, had been watching her too closely for her comfort for the past few months. And his intruding kiss had _not_ been pleasing. But really…he was just going to walk away? From a slap? She scoffed. It figured. Every man that had ever lusted for her had eventually gotten the same treatment, and no matter how strong he was said to be, he would always just walk away in a confused daze, frequently calling her several demeaning terms that didn't bother her in the least. Oh, it wasn't that she wanted to be hit back. If any tried she would not hesitate to bring them within a thread of their death. And it wasn't that she wanted any of them to continue to fight for her (well, actually there had been one or two that she could have learned to love, but she would have never admitted it). However, there was something terribly unexciting about such an easy victory.

Which was why she was intrigued when she saw the blond haired general standing further down the veranda staring at her with wide eyes and an amused smile. Pretending she hadn't seen him, she tossed her head and leaned forward against the rail. But out of the corner of her eye, she continued to watch him as _he _pretended not to see her. It had been awhile since she'd seen any of the prince's generals, and she never had been very good at telling them apart (with the exception of Kunzite). She had to admit he was attractive, standing there with the soft silvery glow from the gardens below illuminating his finely chiseled features. He was perhaps a year or two older than her, and with his pale hair and blue eyes, looked to be her exact opposite.

"I know you're watching me, Princess."

His voice broke her thoughts. Blinking, she raised her head and looked at him with narrowed eyes. "I beg your pardon?"

Jadeite smiled, his face confident and laid-back. "You were watching me."

"I most certainly was not! And even if I was, how would you know unless you were watching me too?"

"I was."

"What?"

"I was watching you. No disrespect, My Lady, but," he took a few steps towards her. "Do you really need everything repeated to you twice?"

"Why you arrogant…detestable…"

"Please madam, I'm just a simple Earth man. Keep your insults basic," Jadeite commented.

"Simple is right!" she snapped. "One would wonder how someone like you could be appointed a general."

"Because I can do this."

Before she knew what was happening, he had caught her upper arm and pulled her to him. There was a hissing noise as his sword came free of its sheath and swept through the air to Rei's neck. But in his efforts to show off to the Princess, he had forgotten one very important thing: she was a trained officer also. When she heard the blade moving, she quickly slapped her hands together and extended her index fingers, shooting a miniature fountain of flame upwards and nearly burning his face.

Now, it was the princess's turn to smile. "I'd have thought you'd learned the dangers of assaulting one of the Princess's guardians. Even if she _is_ just a princess herself," she grinned.

To her surprise, Jadeite let out a small, cynical laugh, released her, and sheathed his sword. "Hm…_just_ a princess? You're sure you're not part demon?"

"If I was a demon, I would not have missed scarring your face."

"It would have been your loss."

The two stared at each other, their expressions a mix of amusement, distrust, and temptation. Finally, they both broke the silence with light laughter. Jadeite bowed politely and kissed her hand. "General Jadeite, my Lady."

She curtsied to him. "Princess Rei of Mars."

He raised an eyebrow. "So you _are_ part demon, hm?"

"What? How dare you?" Rei gasped angrily.

Jadeite laughed. "Thin-skinned, aren't you? Ah, but a lady like you shouldn't know such things about your countrywomen."

"What about my countrywomen?"

"As I said, they are not for a lady to hear," he repeated.

"I don't give a damn. Tell me what you mean."

"Or you'll set me on fire?"

"Maybe I will."

"I'd like to see you try."

"No you wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?"

Rei's hands went to her hips. "General, you are the single most exasperating, infuriating, cowardly excuse for a man I have ever met!"

A look of seriousness appeared on Jadeite's face. "Be careful of your words, Princess," he warned, his voice low and dangerous. "Yes, I may be exasperating. I _know_ that I have a tendency to make people angry with me. But I am no coward."

"All men are cowards," she answered haughtily. "You could face down a hundred men and kill them all without breaking a sweat, I don't doubt that. But men, _all_ men, live in fear of women. Look at your leader. He let himself get poisoned by his own wife."

"Because she is as much of a devil as you!"

"You call me a devil?!?!"

"I do, my Lady," Jadeite growled.

Rei narrowed her eyes. "Very well then. I bid you good night, General Jadeite. I must say, your company is beginning to bore me."

He watched as she turned to leave. His fist clenched as he resisted the urge not to yell at her. "A pleasant sleep to you as well, my Lady," he said through his set jaw.

She turned back momentarily, her dark eyes flashing angrily. "I did not wish you a pleasant sleep, General."

"And it will not be. But all the same, I wish you well, my lady," he answered sharply.

"Hmph," Rei sniffed, turning and disappearing into the ballroom.

> > > > >

As Jadeite made his way back to his chambers, he encountered a cheerful Endymion sitting in the hallway talking with Nephrite. The dark haired man waved to him.

"Jade! We were wondering what happened to you," he smiled. "Where'd you go?"

"Out onto the veranda for a little fresh air. But it wasn't quite as nice as I had hoped," Jadeite answered grimly.

"Oh?" Nephrite asked. "Was a certain Martian princess giving you the sharp edge of her tongue?"

"What? How did you know?"

"Princess Makoto and I could hear you yelling all the way from down in the gardens," he answered simply.

"We weren't yelling!" Jadeite cried indignantly. "We were…debating…"

"Hm. Well, all the same, it wasn't a good idea to call her a devil. Or a demon. Or to insult her countrywomen. Or to assault her with your sword. Or…"

"Okay, Neph. We got the point," Endymion rolled his eyes, then glanced surreptitiously at Jadeite. "You went at her with your sword?"

"I was just teasing her!"

"Hm. Well, I can't say I would know. But from what I've heard," Nephrite stood up. "Princess Rei is _not_ the kind of woman you charm into your bed. Actually, she's the kind you _allow_ into your bed in exchange for your life. That is, if she likes you. In your case, Jade, I would make sure you have your affairs in order."

"Hey, she's every bit as—"

"For Heaven's sake, Jade," Nephrite snapped. "You're not a divine gift to women. Stop acting like it."

With that, the gypsy vanished into his chambers, the blond man staring after him with his eyes and mouth wide open.

"Damn…" Endymion murmured, patting his friend sympathetically on the shoulder. "But you know, he has a point."

"What point?"

"That you really push the limits when it comes to women. And pardon the pun, but when you try to play that way with the Martian women, you're playing with fire and you're going to get burned," he explained.

Jadeite sighed. "I'm going to bed. This evening wasn't as great as I'd hoped."

"All right. Hope you have good dreams about women who _don't_ try to burn you."

"Go to hell."

> > > > >

The next morning after she had dressed, Rei met with Ami and Makoto outside of Serenity's apartments. The Jovian princess was currently rambling on how wonderful it had been dancing with General Nephrite the night before. Rei grinned slightly. Ami was giving her friend the same polite nods and smiles that she had given to General Zoicite the night before.

When the brunette noticed her, she gave the Martian a sly smile. "You're awake Rei! And after that tough fight last night I was sure you would sleep until noon!"  
"What?" she cried. "Mako! How'd you know about that?"

"Rei, we could hear you and General Jadeite arguing all the way down in the atrium," Ami pointed out quietly.

"Well…it's not _my _fault. He is so…infuriating! It's as though he doesn't even realize that women of my status deserve at _least_ a shred of respect!" she cried.

"Still…people have been gossiping about it ever since," Makoto answered.

"Let them," Rei tossed her head. "It's not as if I care about what they think."

At that point, Serenity emerged from her chambers, flanked by two maids on either side of her. The three Senshi curtsied to her, and the maids departed. She frowned.

"What happened to Minako?" she asked.

"That's what I'd like to know," a gruff voice answered.

The four women turned to see Kunzite striding down the corridor towards them. He bowed to Serenity and in the direction of her Senshi, then resumed his erect posture.

"You were the last one to see her, General," Ami replied.

"I doubt that," he muttered, then looked at Rei. "If you see her, will you tell her that the King and Queen wish to speak with her?"

"Yes, of course," Rei answered with a nod. "What is it?"

"Minor details regarding the coming months, My Lady. Nothing serious," Kunzite answered. "Good day."

He bowed again and departed.

Makoto sighed. "He really is a gentleman. Mina should just marry him and save the rest of us the trouble of her assassination attempts."

Her friends nodded in agreement.

"Well, for as good of a man that he is," Serenity reasoned. "I can't imagine Mina would _really _want to leave us all and go live with him in some dark and cold fort in the middle of nowhere. At least if she was marrying a nobleman from one of the other planets of the Silver Millennium, she would still spend most of her time here at court."

"Yes, that's true," Rei agreed. "But if Earth would just _join_ the Silver Millennium, we wouldn't have to worry about that."

"And that's why Minako's marrying Kunzite, in order to persuade Earth to join," Ami finished.

A conspiring gleam appeared in Makoto's eye. "You know…the Queen is trying to persuade the King to betroth Prince Endymion to one of the princesses of the Silver Millennium. And from what I've heard, both the King and the Prince are particularly taken with _you_, Serenity."

The girl's eyes widened in excitement. "What? Really?"

"He _did_ seem to enjoy dancing with you, Serenity," Ami added.

Rei grinned. "And considering you're a horrendous dancer, Your Highness, that must mean _something_."

"What? Rei! That's mean!"

The girls laughed and started down the corridor. Suddenly, hurried footsteps clattered down the hallway behind them as their commander dashed towards them, blond hair flying like a banner behind her.

"Wait…up!" she called, skidding to a halt behind them. Although the Princess of Venus was in excellent shape, she was panting heavily.

"Minako! Where were you?" Serenity demanded.

"I…overslept," she answered, still breathing hard.

"Your fiancé was looking for you," Rei replied flatly.

Minako glared daggers at the Martian, but said nothing.

"Rei, come on. Don't start anything," Ami pleaded.

"Yeah, just because General Jadeite ruined your evening don't take it out on Minako," Makoto said.

"Please stop fighting you guys! I hate hearing you argue!" Serenity said.

At her request, the four women sighed and said nothing, and walked onwards.

When they reached the Great Hall, they found the Queen and King seated on opposite sides of the large round council table talking quietly. The looks on their faces were solemn but not unhappy, and there was a look of agreement in their eyes as they looked at the young women.

"My Lord, My Queen," Minako said, leading the five of them in a unison curtsy. The Queen inclined her head towards them, and the King made a smooth bow.

"My Ladies," he replied, then raised his arm towards the door where the Prince and his generals entered. A few angry glares were exchanged between Rei and Jadeite, but nothing was said.

The King looked over at the group of people gathered in the center of the hall. "A good morning to all of you, my son, General Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoicite, as well as to the esteemed Princess Serenity and her court. The Queen and I have been deep in discussion for the past several hours over a very serious matter that is taking place on Earth.

"A few months ago, our loyal Mage Beryl made me aware that a large army of demons have been amassing near the South Pole. When we found this situation to be true, we sent several units to supervise them. Late last night, Mage Beryl came to me and reported that the last one was killed yesterday."

"But she's been here the whole time! How would she know?" Makoto asked.

"My Lord, if I may?" Nephrite requested. The King nodded. The general looked at the Jovian princess.

"Princess, Mage Beryl has spent the past few decades developing a system that allows long-distance communication using a special crystal as a medium. She has been keeping contact with the South Pole troops ever since they were dispatched. Within the past few weeks, the demons have been lashing out at them and killing in great numbers. As of last week, there were less than one hundred left alive. We told them to retreat, but Mage Beryl believes that the demons may have found a way to scramble the signals by alternating the magnetic polarity that the crystals use to store the messages. During these past few days, she has only been able to receive short, erratic transmissions from the remaining soldiers."

"And this morning, she received no answer at all," the King finished. "Thus, the Prince, his generals, and I will be returning to Earth within the week."

"And as an act of goodwill, the Senshi will be going as well," the Queen added.

"What? Mother!" Serenity cried. "You can't just send them off to—"

"I have every right to send them to Earth, Serenity," she replied. "You will not be unguarded. The Outer Senshi have agreed to take the place of the Inner Senshi and protect you while your guardians are busy helping the King with the threat on Earth. And besides that, we have also decided to push ahead General Kunzite and Princess Minako's marriage. They will be wed in three days before departing for Earth."

The Senshi turned to stare at Minako, who was white as a sheet. Kunzite showed no emotion at the news.

The Queen ignored the reactions and continued to speak. "The next two days will be spent preparing for the wedding and for war. After that, final affairs will be put in order and Earth will be formally admitted to the Silver Millennium. The generals will then each depart for his own fortress, and will bring a Senshi with him. Kunzite will take Minako, Nephrite with Makoto, Zoicite with Ami, and Jadeite with Rei. These teams will be able to keep in contact using Mage Beryl's crystal system, and battle plans will be formulated at their own discretion. Prince Endymion and the King will return to the North Pole, and Princess Serenity will remain here with me. Are there any questions?"

No one spoke.

"Good," she answered, then paused and stood. "Well, what are we waiting for? There's a wedding and a war in our very near future! Let's begin, shall we?"

> > > > >

"Damn it! This was supposed to be a break!" Jadeite cursed as he slammed the door to his chambers behind him.

"Come on Jade. It's not as if we weren't expecting this," Endymion pointed out.

"Still…"

"Think about those soldiers, Jadeite," Nephrite said quietly. "They were our comrades. Some of them were my friends. How many of them did _you_ know?"

"I knew a lot of them! And yes, I'm sad for them, but they knew they were going to die. They were soldiers. _We're_ soldiers. Dying is what we do best, isn't it? In the end, everyone's cannon fodder and it doesn't matter how far you run, you'll just—"

"Peace, Jade. Peace," Endymion said quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder. The blond man took a deep breath and closed his eyes, remaining quiet.

The unusually calm Zoicite looked up. "Well, think of it this way, mates. Fighting is _not_ a big deal for us, is it? At the moment, we should put the war off to the side and worry about Kunzite's wedding."

"Hn," the general in question grunted.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it at all, Kunz," Endymion commented. "Yeah, Minako's a wild girl. But now she's got things to protect too. Do you really think she would risk her life and the safety of her princess just to cause trouble with you?"

"No, but that's not what concerns me," Kunzite answered.

"Then what does?" Nephrite asked.

A cerulean eye froze over. "You know the reason she didn't want to get married is that she has a lover, right?"

"No. But it doesn't surprise me. Don't tell me you're jealous…" Endymion raised an eyebrow.

"I don't give a damn who she sleeps with. Except for when they are notorious spies that sell information to anyone with a few gold coins."

Zoicite blinked in surprise. "She's with Adonis?"

Kunzite nodded. "They think I don't know. She does, anyways. That bastard's probably playing the fool for her sake. I just wonder if he wants her for her position or for her body. But either way, there is no way I'll be able to work efficiently with her on this war with him passing off the confidential information to everyone who wants it."

"But if she's with you on Earth…"

"No, Kunzite's right," Nephrite said. "Adonis is the best there is when it comes to finding out information and getting in where no one else could. Even if Minako was chained to him, Adonis would find a way to meet with her."

The eldest general clenched his fist. "The worst part of it is that she thinks he loves her. She doesn't realize that he's just using her. And as long as she loves him, she won't trust me and we will fail. I cannot let that happen."

"Well," Endymion suggested. "The first thing you could do is start being nicer to her. Win her over as your teammate first, Kunz, then win her over as your wife."

"Gee, that's great advice Endy," Zoicite grinned slightly. "For someone who isn't much better with the ladies. Tell me, _did_ you ever get around to telling Princess Serenity your name?"

"Serenity's a little girl, Zoi."

"Little girls grow up. Don't they Neph? Makoto did."

"You're a vile little boy Zoicite, and I hope you get all appropriate body parts removed in battle," Nephrite answered back flatly.

"Someone's in a bad mood."

> > > > >

The following days passed very quickly. Before anyone could realize it, Minako and Kunzite's wedding day had arrived. But because of the impending war, both of their families were unable to attend. It was decided that Prince Endymion would walk her down the aisle in place of her father, and the Queen would be her Maid of Honor. However, her friends were the ones that were spending the most time preparing her for the ceremony.

An hour before, Minako stood on a stool with several panels of mirrors placed strategically around the room. Makoto was brushing her long hair while Rei and Ami made minor adjustments to her dress. Serenity sat on the floor, staring wide-eyed at her friend. Never before had she looked so much the incarnate of Aphrodite. The dress she wore was long and airy-looking, a common style of her people. The skirt was made of a sheer gold net over a pure white silk, which crept up and wrapped itself into a toga-like bodice where more flecks of gold sparkled in the sunlight. The sleeves were simple, sheer white strips that fluttered around her in the breeze. Her lovely blond hair hung down her back as Makoto arranged the veil over it. The final touch was a gold necklace with a large topaz cut into the shape of a tiger lily that was Kunzite's wedding gift to her.

"Well…" Makoto said as the three women stepped back to look at her.

"You look beautiful," Ami replied, giving her a halfhearted smile.

"Thank you, Ami," she answered quietly.

Rei frowned. "Minako…you know that no one can _make_ you do this if you really don't want to."

The Venusian princess smiled. "Rei, wouldn't it look a little silly for me to have gotten this dressed up, walk up to the alter, and then say that I wasn't going to get married?"

Serenity laughed. "Yeah, that would be funny."

Minako sighed. "Let's just hope some good will come of this. If only the safety of the world."

They nodded in agreement. Just then, there was a knock on the door. A maid walked in and explained that Minako was to speak with the Queen while the rest would start getting dressed themselves.

As she left the room, Rei glanced out the window. Standing in the gardens staring up towards her was a young man with blond hair and blue eyes. Frowning, she walked out.

"You ready, man?" Jadeite looked at Kunzite. They were all wearing their black military dress uniforms, with decorative swords hung at their sides. However, while Nephrite, Zoicite, and Jadeite had scarlet embroidery adorning the backs and fronts of their jackets, Endymion (who was currently in the antechamber with the Queen and Minako) was marked as prince by having his done in silver thread, and Kunzite, as the bridegroom, had gold.

The white-haired man nodded. "Yes. There's nothing either of us can do about it now."

At that point, the sound of Neptune's royal orchestra began to waft throughout the temple. The Queen entered first, with Princess Serenity following close behind. They took their place with the princesses of Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter. Then came Minako, Endymion at her side, walking slowly towards the altar. When they reached it, Endymion put a hand on Kunzite's shoulder and smiled at him, before allowing his friend to take his bride's arm.

Rei, who was standing closest to them, saw the general lean towards Minako and saw him whisper something. Listening hard, she only caught his last words.

"…Learn to live together."

The King conducted the ceremony. It went by slowly, but did not last long. When their vows were spoken, Kunzite lifted Minako's veil and kissed her gently. Applause broke out throughout the temple as they turned and walked out. The King and Queen came next, then Serenity and Endymion. Jadeite took Rei's arm then and led her out as well. When they were halfway down the aisle, he turned and whispered into her ear.

"Do you think they will live?"

She said nothing at first, then looked at him. "If not, it will not be Minako's fault."

Jadeite smiled at her, then cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. To his surprise, she did not fight back. When he pulled away, they were in the crowded antechamber of the temple.

"I will see you tonight, my Lady. I think there are things we need to discuss," he remarked.

Rei nodded in agreement. "Yes. I will see you at the banquet, General."

His hand slipped down to catch hers. Raising it to his lips, his kissed it quickly, then melted into the congratulatory host surrounding the bride and groom.

> > > > >

Everyone was kept mostly separate for the rest of day. However, Endymion and his generals (minus Kunzite, who was currently with his new wife), had found a few minutes to meet in the palace gardens.

"Well lads, we've already lost one," Zoicite mourned.

Jadeite laughed. "Yes, the only question now is: who's next?"

The two blond men looked at Nephrite who held up his hands. "What?"

Endymion smiled. "Well, why not? You're the next oldest, Princess Makoto is head over heels in love with you, and you worship the ground she walks on. Not to mention you'll have her in your household for the next few months. You may as well marry her."

Nephrite rolled his eyes. "You're insane, all of you, if you think her family would allow their only daughter to marry a nameless Earth soldier."

"Um…" Zoicite paused. "Your name is Nephrite." He ducked a blow from Jadeite next to him.

"He knows that you idiot!" he snapped.

Endymion ignored his friends and looked hard at Nephrite. "Hey…look. You're really in love with the girl?"

"Yes. Hopelessly," the general answered miserably. "We've been in a correspondence for over a year."

"What? That long? Damn…I didn't know you even liked women, Neph," Zoicite remarked, and ducked again.

"Have you talked to her about a betrothal?" Endymion continued.

"Yes. She wants to get married. But we can't. Her parents won't allow it."

Jadeite blinked in surprise. "What? Why? You're famous on Earth. A better military record than Endymion, and almost as good as Kunzite's. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"I have no family. I have very little money. And with my position in the military, they don't believe I'll be able with her enough to take care of her," Nephrite explained.

"But that's ludicrous! She's practically a general too!" Jadeite cried.

Endymion tapped his chin. "I'll talk to my father and the Queen. Maybe they can talk to her parents."

"You can try, but—"

"Evening, Lords," a smooth voice cut off.

The men turned to see the three unmarried princesses as well as the Heir to the Silver Millennium standing near the fountain. The bridesmaids dresses had been exchanged for traditional gowns from the girls' own countries. Serenity still wore her simple white and gold petal dress with the set of pearls her mother had given her. Meanwhile, Ami wore a long sleeved navy blue velvet gown trimmed with silver and embroidered with tiny diamond beads that made a wave pattern over the front of her bodice and skirt, while Makoto wore a long emerald kirtle beneath a brown fur robe. Chains of copper leaves encircled her waist and forehead. Rei's dress was a close fitting deep scarlet dress with no sleeves but wrapped with wide gauzy strips of black silk. They were the four winds, Makoto the North, Serenity the South, Ami the West, and Rei the East.

"Good Evening," Endymion replied, smiling at them. "Don't tell me you have no escorts to this evening's activities?"

"As a matter of fact, we do not," Rei grinned back. "Do you suppose it would be possible for a group of gentlemen such as yourselves to accompany us?"

"We'd be honored, my Lady," Jadeite answered, sauntering up to her and linking his arm with hers.

She turned his head and whispered into his ear. "We should go somewhere private."

He nodded. "I agree," he whispered back, then waved to his friends and led her further into the gardens. When the reached the large lake that stood a good five hundred or so feet away from the back of the palace, they stopped and sat beneath a blossoming lotus tree. Jadeite turned to look at her.

"You know, I didn't think you'd actually agree to meet with me," he commented.

She shrugged. "I've had a change of heart."

"Oh?"

"Well, we're going to have to be living and working together, won't we? What good will it do to spend the time fighting each other?" Rei asked.

"Good logic. So shall we propose a truce?" Jadeite asked.

She nodded. "Yes. Once this is all over, we can settle the matter of personal insults."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you're still angry about that."

Rei's eyes flashed. "When someone offends me, General, it takes me a very long time to forgive them. And I _never_ forget. Remember that next time you choose to call me a demon."

Jadeite sighed. "If you are so wounded at a verbal jab, I shudder to think what you will do in combat."

"Simple. I kill without mercy. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?" she asked.

The general answered by leaning forwards and kissing her again. This time, he was met with a fiery glare and a slap.

"And another thing, General, do not presume you have the right to kiss me any time you like!" she snapped. "I am not your whore!"

He grinned mischievously. "Ah, but a lady who is not my wife, living in my home, with no other women for miles and miles?"

Rei stood up and tossed her head. "Make your threats, see if I care. But when we are alone on a battlefield, we'll see if I decide to save your life, hm?"

"When Heaven wants us, Heaven takes us, Princess. If you are my executioner," Jadeite shrugged. "So be it. There are others worse than you."

"Why you…!"

The sound of music again drifted into the gardens from the palace. Jadeite cocked his head and held out his hand.

"Care to dance, My Lady?" he asked, smiling slightly.

Rei's mouth dropped open and she stared at him aghast, allowing him to put an arm around her waist and led her back onto the paved area. As she snapped back to her senses, she followed his lead and softened her glare. But inside, she was still fuming at his ability to shift his moods between insulting and charming so quickly.

Jadeite smiled at her again. Her reactions alone were worth it all.

> > > > >

They all saw very little of each other those following days. Everyone was busy preparing for the trip to Earth. And when it finally came, very few people were pleased.

"So…you're really going?" Serenity asked as she looked at her friends. They nodded back to her.

"Don't worry Serenity! We'll be back before you know it!" Makoto smiled reassuringly, hugging her friend. Rei snorted. If anyone was happy about splitting up, it was the Jovian princess. This would be her only chance to be alone with her "beloved" Nephrite.

"Makoto's right. This is probably just a rebellion against Earth's government. You know how demons are," Minako replied. She had changed much over the past few days. She was a little more reserved now, and a lot more tense. It was as if she feared someone was coming after her.

Serenity's face was still sad as she embraced her cousin. "Be careful, Minako."

"Of course, Serenity," she smiled back.

The Princess moved onto Ami, who held her tight. It was Ami the three older girls worried most about. None would argue that off all of them, she was the smartest and probably most mature. But the Mercurial princess was not as talented a warrior. She could hold her own, of course, but they did doubt how she would do against a demon army. Especially with the likes of Zoicite at her side.

"Keep up your studies, Serenity!" Ami warned, then laughed and smiled.

Serenity looked at Rei with wide eyes. Sighing, Rei held open her arms and allowed the younger girl to throw herself at her friend.

"I'll miss you so much," Serenity whispered.

Rei's heart clenched, and she hugged the girl a little tighter. "I'll miss you too. Be good, okay?"

Serenity raised an eyebrow. "I'm not a little girl, Rei."

"I know. Be good anyways," the raven-haired girl smiled.

The four stood in a line before their princess, saluted, then turned and walked out without any more words.

In front of the Imperial Palace, the four generals stood similarly in front of their prince. However, at his request, they dropped the stance.

"You'll be sure to keep in contact, Endymion?" Kunzite asked sternly.

The prince nodded. "Yes. You don't need to worry about me."

"We will though. Knowing you, you'll get yourself into some ridiculous sort of trouble," Zoicite smiled. "Just call when you need help."

"Trust me, Zoi. If I find myself in some near-death situation, you will _not_ be the one I call to get me out of it," Endymion laughed. He turned to Nephrite and looked at him seriously. "Neph…I'm going to make sure you and Makoto get married."

"What? Endymion, you don't have to—"

"I _want _to. Convince her, Nephrite. And when you come back, we'll have another wedding, hm?" he smiled, then patted him on the back. Endymion turned to Jadeite and smiled. "Hey…Jade?"

"Yeah?" the general asked.

"Don't let Rei kill you, all right?"

"Of course not. The girl's madly in love with me," he grinned back. Said grin was soon removed when said girl smacked her open hand against the side of his head.

"Ow! Damn you…" he cursed, rubbing his ear and glaring at her.

Rei just smiled sweetly at him. "I love you, darling."

"Hm. I'm sure you do, sweetheart. Would you me to bring you a sword so you can run me through as well?" he muttered.

"Oh that would be wonderful, love," laughing, she blew a kiss at him. Zoicite and Makoto burst into hysterical laughter, and Endymion hid a smile behind his fist. The others just stared, but no one seemed to notice.

"Yes, well, anyways. As soon as you reach the fortresses, everyone should send a transmission back to the North Pole and report status, all right?" Endymion ordered.

He was answered with eight nods and eight salutes. The prince saluted back, and they separated, heading towards the five crafts bound for Earth.

> > > > >

Rei put her hand on the crystal panes that separated her from the darkness of space. They would be landing soon, within an hour. Earth had grown exponentially ever since their departure from the moon. And although she had seen the other crafts leave, she had quickly lost sight of them. Although she was sure she could see something not unlike a shooting star streaking down over the steppes of northern Asia. She liked to imagine it was Kunzite and Minako. It made her feel less alone.

Of course, General Jadeite was there with her, but she would have preferred being alone to his company. However, she had been pleasantly surprised when he explained he would be sleeping for the majority of the trip. Disappearing into his cabin, he had left her on the main deck of the craft staring up at the crystal dome into the starry blackness.

Rei sighed. She had no desire to spend who knew how many months in Jadeite's keep, either as a soldier or a woman of nobility, the two roles she would be playing. He was becoming too much for her, what with his arrogance and flirtations and desires to infuriate her. And yet, she wanted him. Wanted to break him and make him beg for her and proclaim his love for her. She wasn't sure what she would do if he ever did. Most likely she would spurn him; that was the sadist in her. The hateful creature living within her that showed no mercy on the battlefield and even less mercy when it came to court affairs. She loathed it, and loved it. The power it gave her was divine, and the control it had over her was hellish. Perhaps this was her curse; to forever be burned by the fires of her own passions, to be eternally loved but to eternally deny.

Was it possible that, if given the chance to love, that curse could be broken?

She did not know.

"You've been very quiet, My Lady. I had almost forgotten you were here," a low voice commented.

Rei turned to see Jadeite, dressed in a plain white shirt and gray breeches, his hair mussed and falling into his sleepy eyes. She frowned at him. He looked vulnerable. Unnaturally vulnerable.

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and stepping next to her.

She shook her head. "Nothing. I ah…well, nothing."

The general shrugged. "Suit yourself." He sent a serving boy near the door for a cup of tea, and within moments the mug steamed from his hands.

"So," Rei began awkwardly. "The pilot says we'll be landing soon."  
"I see," he answered, looking downwards. Earth was huge now, completely eliminating all blackness except for a very thin rim at the edges of their vision. "You'll want to sit down and secure yourself, Princess. Landings in the mountains can be a little rough."

"The mountains? Which mountains?" she asked.

"The Himalayas," Jadeite replied. "My fortress lies some ten miles or so from the plateau where we land. You can ride a horse, can't you?"

"Of course," she scoffed. "It's not like Earth is the only place that has them."

"True. There is a breed of Martian horses as well, am I correct?" he asked.

"Yes. The nomads in the desert regions raise them. The stallions are famous for their speed," Rei explained.

"Ah yes. The mares too are supposed to be very fine as well, aren't they? However," a small smile crept across the general's face. "They're supposed to be very bad tempered and wild. They say they can't be tamed, so they're of no use to anyone at all. Except of course, for breeding even more bad tempered desert mares."

The princess's eyes flashed. "So, do you think me wild and useless and bad-tempered, General?"

"I never called you useless, My Lady."

"Hmph!" she turned her back on him.

Looking at her thoughtfully, Jadeite set his cup down and walked around to face the princess.

"You know, Princess, I enjoy making you angry," he replied nonchalantly.

"No…truly?" she rolled her eyes.

"Oh yes," he went on. "You know why? Because I like the way your eyes look when you're angry. They burn. With tiny little gold flames. Very remarkable. I've never seen it in any woman other than you, Martian or no. It's very beautiful. Almost worth the bruises I get as a result."

Rei cocked her head. "Are you serious?"

"Deadly," he answered. His voice dropped down another few steps. "You're a very beautiful woman, Rei."

"I know."

Jadeite blinked in surprise. Usually when he told a girl she was beautiful, she would giggle and thank him, or look down and claim she wasn't. A few had even rolled their eyes and looked at him as though he were an idiot. But this was the first time he had received a plain, honest, straightforward answer. It shook his foundation, and control shifted.

"General Jadeite, allow me to explain something," Rei began. "I am very used to dealing with men like you. Men who are accustomed to having women of all ranks fall before and fawn over them. I hate it when men have that sort of power of women." She crossed her arms and smiled slightly at him. "I'm going to strip you of that power, Jadeite. I think I'll find a good woman to make you fall in love with, a married woman, maybe, or a peasant girl below your rank. Someone who will make _you_ fall before her, weak and helpless. Perhaps then you'll learn just where you stand in the natural order of things."

Still smiling, she turned and headed for the staircase that led below deck. "I'll see you after landing, General."

When she was gone, he smiled and chuckled to himself.

Rei had described herself.

> > > > >

"You might have warned me that this place was going to be so damn cold!" Rei snapped as they rode up the mountainside. Snow flurries fell down before them, not so heavy as to impair their vision, but just enough to be a nuisance.

"The Himalayas are cold, Princess," Jadeite replied, but even he was shivering. More than ever, his heart longed for the Alps. It snowed there too, and was cold and windy, but there was life there in those winters. Here there was nothing but rock and dead grass and bitter frozen air.

They came to the foot of a large mountain. About halfway up loomed the onyx keep of Jadeite's fortress. Two huge bonfires had been lit and now glowed from the two main guard towers. He pointed up towards it. Rei nodded and swallowed one of the little clouds of steam that had just escaped from her mouth as her horse jerked forwards and began the ascent. The way was difficult, but the horses knew it, and before long they had entered through the gates of the fortress.

"General Jadeite!" several guards called down from the towers. The man smiled. He knew the soldiers here, had trained with them and knew their families as well. Rei just smiled and waved politely at them. She was surprised that many knew who she was, and was flattered at the looks she received from some of the young men. With a laugh, she glanced at Jadeite who was staring skeptically at her.

"Don't be jealous, General," she whispered, pulling up next to him. "I promise I won't be a distraction to your men."

"Hm. Should be the other way around, shouldn't it?" he muttered back.

"Perhaps. It's a cold night, General. I should find a good man to warm my bed. Can you point any out?"

He didn't answer, but dismounted his horse and gave the reins to a black-eyed stable boy. Rei followed suit, and followed Jadeite into his hall.

It was not nearly as grand as the Great Hall of the Imperial Palace. The walls were the similar shiny black brick as the rest of the fortress, but there were some interesting tapestries hung above the huge fireplace and near the doorways. They depicted the mountains, and the cities in them. And the one that hung over the fireplace showed the keep, with flames falling from the skies above it. Two figures stood in the guard towers, a male and a female. The male held a shining sword, and the female a bow and arrow. Both were pointing their weapons at the bottom of the mountain, where a huge mass of demons was gathered. Several of the demons were burning from the fire that fell from the sky.

She pointed it out to Jadeite. "What does that one show?"

He cocked his head, studying closely, then shrugged. "I have no idea."

"The future," a croaking voice answered.

They turned to see an old man standing in the corner. He leaned upon a stick, and was dressed in a ragged brown robe and wooden sandals bound with rope. His long hair and beard were white and tangled, and his worn out face was scored with decades of deep lines. The only thing that showed any energy within him was his glittering black eyes. He bowed to them both. "Lord Jadeite, Princess Rei, an honor to meet you both."

"Who are you?" Jadeite asked.

"Asmodeus. I worked in the kitchens. But I'm old now. Too old to work. I'll not last the winter. I wanted to see you both though," he said, then pointed to the tapestry. "My wife made that."

"Your wife?" Rei mused. "Where is she?"

"Dead, Princess. Not three weeks ago."

"Oh…I'm sorry," she apologized.

"It's all right, Princess. She went in her sleep. Her heart was bad. The visions made it weak, you see. That one especially," he pointed again at the tapestry. "It made her cry."

"You don't seriously mean—" Jadeite began, but Rei cut him off.

"Hush," she snapped, then looked back at Asmodeus. "The battle in the tapestry…your wife saw it? How? Did she use fire?"

"Fire? No Princess," he replied. "She dreamed it. Every night, it came clearer. And she wanted to remember it, so she sewed the tapestry."

"But why not just write it down?" Jadeite asked.

Asmodeus looked at him mournfully. "She couldn't right, My Lord. Couldn't read either."

"That's a shame," Rei murmured. "I would have liked to learn about her visions. Did she have many?"

"Yes Princess. She wouldn't tell them all to me. Just the happy ones, or else the ones she thought were important. That battle was the last one she ever mentioned to me."

"I see…" she answered.

Asmodeus bowed the them both again. "Please, My Lord, My Lady, allow me to go now. I am weary. I wanted to be here to greet you, and have thus forsaken sleep."

"Of course, of course," Jadeite replied. "Take care, old man."

"I will try, My Lord," he said, then hobbled out of the hall.

Rei looked at Jadeite. "I like that man. He was interesting."

"He's crazy, Princess," Jadeite replied.

"He is not!" she cried. "Where would you get an idea like that?"

"Why would an old man stay awake until this hour waiting for us? Not even the men I consider my friends bothered to greet us. I've never met this Asmodeus before, and its unlikely any sane man would be so blindly loyal as to give us such a greeting. Unless you know him…?" he wondered.

She shook her head. "No. This is the first time I've ever met him as well."

"I thought so. Besides that, he believes his wife had visions and—"

"She might have."

Jadeite groaned. "Don't tell me you believe it's possible to tell the future. Not even Mage Beryl can do that!"

"Poor her," Rei scoffed. "Well, you're right about it being impossible to tell the future. But it _is_ possible to at least make a close guess at what lies ahead. It's a common practice on Mars."

"You mean the fire readings? I've heard of that," he replied. "But they say that the women who conduct such readings never share what they learn with anyone else."

"Of course we don't. It's forbidden," she answered.

Jadeite blinked. "We? You mean you can read the fires?"

"Yes. I've been doing it ever since I was a child," she remarked casually. "It's not difficult. For me, anyways."

He rolled his eyes. "Perhaps."

"You don't believe me?"

"No."

"That's fine. There's no way I can prove to you that I can anyways, so you can believe what you like," Rei replied. She turned and stared up at the tapestry again. "Hm…it's interesting. I rather like it. But no matter." The princess looked back at him. "I think I would like to get some rest now. Will you escort me to my chambers, General?"

"If you'd like," he answered, taking her arm and leading her up a great stone staircase and down a corridor lit by dim lanterns. He stopped at the far end of it, stopping in front of a large open door painted green. The chamber beyond was large, and illuminated by a blazing fire at the far end of it. Between that and the door was a good-sized wooden four-poster bed carved with scenes of birds and flowers and covered with a thick burgundy blanket. A maid was putting the last of Rei's clothing in a similarly carved armoire, and another was sweeping off the spacious wine-colored rug before the bed.

"Are the accommodations adequate, Princess?" Jadeite asked, looking at her.

She nodded. "Yes, they will do. Thank you for allowing me to use them, General."

"Of course, Princess. I want you to be as comfortable as possible while you're here," his eyes glittered flirtatiously as he leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Would you like me to find a bedmate for you, Princess?"

"That will not be necessary, General," she whispered back. "Good night."

He studied her closely for a moment, then kissed her. She slapped him.

"Good night, Princess."

> > > > >

Jadeite awoke to the sound of his orderly entering his chamber. Yawning, he sat up and climbed out of bed. How early it seemed! Of course, it had been well past midnight when he had finally retired, and as he glanced out the thin slit of the window, he realized it had to be a little while after dawn.

"Good morning, Lord Jadeite," the orderly greeted. "Princess Rei requested I wake you."

"Oh? For what reason?" he asked, a bit annoyed that his servants were already taking Rei's orders as though they were his own. However, he was too tired to be too angry.

"I'd like to train with you today, General," she smiled, appearing in his doorway. He stared in surprise at her. Rather than being dressed in her usual elegant robes and gowns, she wore a pair of woolen breeches and a leather jerkin over a gray linen shirt. On her feet were sturdy brown boots and on her hands were fingerless brown leather gloves. Her long black hair was bound back with a black thong.

As he stared at her, his mouth agape, her grin widened. "I'd suggest you eat something, General. We have quite a bit of work to do. I'm out of practice, you see. What with all the festivities on the Moon and such, I've had no time to work. But I'm sure with your excellent skills I'll be back in shape in no time. I'll be waiting in your practice hall, General."

With that, she vanished. Grumbling to himself, he quickly dressed and retrieved his sword from the armory. Without bothering to eat, he went right to the practice room where Rei was locked in deep conversation with Asmodeus. She looked up when he entered.

"Good morning," she replied cheerily, then looked back at her companion. "Thank you for entertaining me while I waited Asmodeus. You should probably leave now, though. This may not be pleasant."

"Of course, Princess. It was a pleasure," he replied in his creaking voice, then stood, bowed to Jadeite, and limped out.

Rei rose and stood next to the general. "I like him very much."

"You said that last night."

"I like him more now."

"You haven't even known him for twenty-four hours."

"So? I've known you for quite a long time now, and I like him better than you," she remarked.

He rolled his eyes. "Your tongue may get you this far, Princess, but you'll need to use something sharper if you plan to fight battles elsewhere."

"I know that!" she snapped, pleasant demeanor gone. She reached to her side and pulled out a long, but light and flexible blade. Jadeite frowned.

"Where the devil did you get that?" he asked.

"The armory, where else?" she answered irritably. "The men there were very helpful."

"Hm. Well, just remember whose men they are, Princess," he shot back. "_You_ are the guest here, not I."

"I'll remember that, General. But if you'd be so kind," she smirked. "I came here to fight with blades, not words."

"Very well. Let's see just what kind of a warrior the Martians can breed, shall we?"

His blade sang as it sliced through the air, but the song was interrupted as Rei caught it with her own. She danced around him, making quick slices and jabs in the style she had learned from the Martian and Mercurial swordmasters had taught her on the Moon. Despite the cold confidence on her face, she had been intimidated at Jadeite's sheer power at first. With several of the blows he delivered, she was sure his long sword would completely shatter her rapier. But slowly, she became accustomed to him. His style was not so different from the Jovian styles of swordplay, and once she had convinced herself that she was just fighting Makoto on a grander scale, her self-assurance returned.

Jadeite was not so much afraid of Rei now as he was frustrated with her. She was excellent on defense, even if her attacks were somewhat weedy. Every time he tried to get close to her, she would dart to the side, or duck, fall back. And it was in those split seconds between his failed attack and the beginning of his new one that she would lash out at him like a desert cobra. However, it was easy to knock her rapier aside. Unfortunately, he could not throw her rhythm off. It was as if she expected every parry he made.

That is, until he managed to make a powerful enough blow that he could send her rapier flying through the air. Her eyes wide, Rei sunk to her knees before him.

Jadeite smiled. "Do you surrender, Princess?"

She nodded and said nothing. His sword traced up over her jerkin sensuously and came to rest against her neck. He held it there a few moments, then pulled it away. The general motioned for her to stand up.

"Well, for all it was worth, Princess," he sighed. "You put forth a good effort."

She smiled at him. "Ah, but so did you, General."

"I beg your pardon?"

He was answered with the scent of his tunic burning where Rei's fingertips had brushed it. Cursing, he released her and swatted at the little tongues of flame.

Laughing, Rei put her palm over his stomach and smothered them. Jadeite looked at her suspiciously.

"They didn't burn you," he remarked.

"Of course not," Rei answered. "The fire comes from within me. If I was affected I would have burned up years ago."

"So…" Jadeite continued to eye her as though she might spontaneously combust. "You're immune to it then? Fire?"

"Not all fire. Just _my_ fire. I burn just as easily as anyone else otherwise," she answered. She paused. "General…may I show you something?"

He nodded. "Yes, but, Rei?"

She cocked her head. He had never called her by her name before.

"May I call you Rei?" Jadeite asked.

"I suppose…"

"Good. Then you can call me Jadeite. Or Jade, if you like," he answered. Still receiving a bewildered stare, he shrugged. "It's more real now, don't you think? The war?"

"Yes…"

"And if there's really a war, then we're really partners."

"And we should really address each other by our given names," Rei finished. She smiled at him. A real smile. Not sarcastic or cynical or intimidating or falsely flirtatious.

"I understand," she replied, then grabbed his hand. "Come on, let's go by the armory, and then we need to go outside."

Blinking in surprise at her sudden change in moods, he allowed her to lead him down to the armory where she fetched a bow and a quiver of finely made arrows. From there, they climbed up the battlement stairs to one of the two main guard towers. The wind was frigid and strong there, ripping a few strands of Rei's hair free from the thong and throwing them around her face. However, she paid no more attention to them than she had to the other guards in the tower as she came up to the edge of the wall. She turned back to look at Jadeite.

"I'll admit that I'm not very good at swordplay. That was always Minako's area," she explained. "I'm much better with a bow and arrow."

"All right, let's see," he answered, taking a step back.

She took a deep breath, nocked the arrow, and drew back. Her hawk like eyes focused at some object off in the distance. Looking closer, Jadeite realized it was huge bull yak. Ready to argue that there was no way a single arrow could take down such a huge animal at such a distance, there was a zing as it was released. But there was something else too, a sort of crackling noise. He blinked and saw that the arrow was on fire. It streaked through the air and buried itself in the side of the huge wooly beast. The bull cried out in pain and tried to run, but within minutes it had been reduced to a large glowing ball of flame.

Several of the other guards had been watching in awe, and now turned to congratulate the princess on her skills. She smiled politely, but made no other comments, and took no other shots. There was no need to.

"Rei…let's go back down to the practice hall. We should talk a little more," Jadeite said, taking her arm and leading her away from the wall.

When they were out of earshot of the guards, he turned to her.

"That was amazing," he said. "I…didn't think you were capable of something like that."

"Because I wasn't very good with swords?" she asked.

"Well, yes," he admitted. "But listen, I want you to start training archers. Don't worry about your skills with a blade, I'll help you, I promise. But Rei…I _need _you."

She blinked in surprise, then shook her head. Of course he didn't need her like _that_.

"Jadeite…of course I'll train them," she answered. "I'm only here to help. And…you'll help me too?"

He nodded, then smiled slightly. "Hm, I guess this is going to cut into our senseless argument time."

"Damn," she giggled.

Suddenly, an orderly ran up the corridor towards them. He bowed quickly, then looked at Jadeite.

"Lord Jadeite, General Kunzite wishes to speak with you," the orderly said.

"All right. Thank you," he said, then looked back at Rei. "Come on."

He led her to a study that was mostly empty except for a couple of bookcases, a desk, and a large crystal in the center. Standing in the middle of the crystal was Kunzite.

Jadeite smiled. "Well, seems like you made it home in one piece. Everything all right with the wife?"

Kunzite raised an eyebrow. "She's fine, Jadeite. I have orders from Prince Endymion."

"Oh?"

"Beryl has advised him not to make a direct move for now. There are outposts in South America, South Africa, and Australia that are keeping eyes open in case the armies try to strike out. As far as we know, they don't have much of a sea force. Yet, that is. But anyways, we are to be training the forces gathered in our areas for combat until further notice," Kunzite finished.

"Why's Beryl in charge?" Jadeite asked.

Kunzite hesitated. "It was a rough landing last night for the King. His health has suddenly taken a turn for the worse."

Jadeite stared at him silently. Rei looked at him. The King was ill? He seemed fine on the Moon. But then again, the Moon was the domain of the Ginzuishou, a healing crystal. If the King was away from it…

"How much worse?"

"…If he continues at the rate he is deteriorating, he will not see the spring," Kunzite answered.

The younger general froze.

"But we aren't supposed to worry for him," the senior general continued. "There's nothing we can do anyways. Endymion wants him to go back to the Moon, but Beryl's convinced he won't last the journey."

"But…if he is dying, the Ginzuishou might be his only hope!" Rei cried. "Maybe if we could get the Queen to come to Earth?"

"It's possible. Bring it up with Endymion," Kunzite suggested..

"I will."

"Well, if that's all we can do, we'll pray for him," Jadeite answered.

"Please do. I'll contact you again in a few days. Take care."

"You too."

The crystal went dark.

Rei looked at Jadeite. "Are you…all right?"

He nodded. "Yeah…just…damn. He _can't_ be dying!"

"Don't worry," she said. "I'm sure Serenity will be able to help him."

He smiled weakly. "I hope so, Rei. I really hope so."

> > > > >

The following weeks were spent training. Rei' sword skill slowly improved, and in turn, the archers she trained slowly became more accurate and dangerous (although none of them could manage to ignite the arrows upon release). Routines slowly developed. Rei and Jadeite would rise about the same time, breakfast together, then spend the rest of the morning practicing swordplay. Then Jadeite would spend the afternoon drilling the troops gathered on the fields in front of the mountain while Rei would work with her archers on the jagged cliffs along side it.

Then came the day that Asmodeus died.

Rei was the one that found him. Her sleep that night had been troubled. She saw fire raining from the sky, and flashes of gold. And blood. So much blood. When she awoke, she knew someone was hurt.

Throwing on her cloak, she ran outside and up to one of the two smaller towers pressed up against the edge of the mountain. There she found the old man broken and bleeding on the stairs leading up to the top deck.

Tears streamed down her face as she cradled Asmodeus in her arms. She hadn't known him long, that was true. But he had been kind to her. He had told her stories of his wife, and had guided her when the stress of training became too much. He was her father figure. And now. He was gone.

Then she noticed something strange. A blade was stuck in between his shoulder blades. But it was not like any blade she'd ever seen before. It glowed a dull grayish green and was jagged on both edges. The hilt did not fit her grip easily, and was weirdly shaped. Carefully, she raised it upwards to examine it in the moonlight.

"Rei, put that down!" a voice called.

She turned to see Jadeite running up the stairs towards her. Dropping the dagger and letting go of the old man's body, she ran to Jadeite and threw her arms around him.

"He's dead, Jadeite! He's dead!" she sobbed, burying her face in his chest.

He looked at her confusedly. "What? Rei…"

It was then that he saw Asmodeus. Inhaling sharply, he tightened his grip around her. "Oh Gods Rei…" he whispered, struggling to hold back his own tears.

"Who could have done it Jadeite? _Why_ would someone have done it? He was such a good person!"

"I-I don't know," he stammered. "I don't know."

Letting her go, he called for the guards. They came quickly, stared shocked at the body for a few moments, then bore him away. Jadeite picked up the knife and stowed it carefully in his belt, then put his arms about Rei and led her down from the tower and back to her own chambers.

Once there, he closed the door and sat her on her bed. She was still crying. Sighing sadly, he held her close again and rocked her gently.

"Sh…please don't cry, Rei," he begged. "Please." But she didn't appear to be listening. Carefully, he tipped up her chin and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Tell me what to do to make it better, Rei. What will make you stop crying? I'll do anything," Jadeite said.

She hesitated, then looked in his eyes. "Kiss me," she whispered.

Surprised at the request, and somewhat afraid she was going to slap him again, he slowly leaned forward and kissed her. But she didn't slap him. Her arms reached up and wrapped around his neck as her mouth opened and gave him the access he'd wanted ever since first laying eyes on her.

The dagger that killed Asmodeus came to rest on the floor.

The cursed dagger.

The demon dagger.

**To be continued in Book II.**


End file.
